Tabor City, North Carolina
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Tabor City, known as the "Yam Capital of the World", is a town in
Columbus County Columbus County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina, on its southeastern border. Its county seat is Whiteville. The 2020 census showed a loss of 12.9% of the population from that of 2010. As of the 2020 census, the popula ...
,
North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...
, United States. It is the southernmost town in Columbus County, one of North Carolina's largest counties by land area. It is located just north of the North Carolina/
South Carolina )''Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no) , anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind" , Former = Province of South Carolina , seat = Columbia , LargestCity = Charleston , LargestMetro = ...
line, about north of
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina Myrtle Beach is a resort city on the east coast of the United States in Horry County, South Carolina. It is located in the center of a long and continuous stretch of beach known as "The Grand Strand" in the northeastern part of the state. Its y ...
, and is just north of
Loris, South Carolina Loris is a city in Horry County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 2,396 at the 2010 census, up from 2,079 in 2000. Geography Loris is in northern Horry County on the Atlantic coastal plain. U.S. Route 701 passes through the city, ...
. The population was 2,511 as of the 2010 census.The population was revised from the originally published figure of 2,511 based on corrected inclusion of the Tabor City Prison population:


History


Pre-European

According to Swanton (1952), before the arrival of the Europeans, the area was home to the
Cape Fear Indians The Cape Fear Indians were a small, coastal tribe of Native Americans who lived on the Cape Fear River in North Carolina (now Carolina Beach State Park). Name and language The autonym of the Cape Fear Indians may have been Daw-hee. Their name f ...
, the
Waccamaw The Waccamaw people were an Indigenous people of the Southeastern Woodlands, who lived in villages along the Waccamaw and Pee Dee rivers in North and South Carolina in the 18th century.Lerch 328 Language Very little remains of the Waccamaw ...
Indians, and the Saponas.


1670s–1830s

During the Revolutionary War, men from the area joined with the rebels in the Battle of Brown Marsh. The
Loyalists Loyalism, in the United Kingdom, its overseas territories and its former colonies, refers to the allegiance to the British crown or the United Kingdom. In North America, the most common usage of the term refers to loyalty to the British Cr ...
won, marking the high point of their efforts to defeat the revolution in the southern theater. Men from the area may have also aided the American forces in the
Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge The Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge was a minor conflict of the American Revolutionary War fought near Wilmington (present-day Pender County), North Carolina, on February 27, 1776. The victory of the North Carolina Provincial Congress' militia ...
, which had a much more favorable outcome for the Americans. The
Siege of Charleston The siege of Charleston was a major engagement and major British victory in the American Revolutionary War, fought in the environs of Charles Town (today Charleston), the capital of South Carolina, between March 29 and May 12, 1780. The Britis ...
saw troops from the coastal Carolinas unsuccessfully defend the city from the British. Early settlers in the area farmed, raised cattle & pigs, and manufactured
naval stores Naval stores are all liquid products derived from conifers. These materials include rosin, tall oil, pine oil, and terpentine. The term ''naval stores'' originally applied to the organic compounds used in building and maintaining wooden sailing ...
. From the
longleaf pine The longleaf pine (''Pinus palustris'') is a pine species native to the Southeastern United States, found along the coastal plain from East Texas to southern Virginia, extending into northern and central Florida. In this area it is also known as ...
trees come products used in shipbuilding. These products or “stores” are
turpentine Turpentine (which is also called spirit of turpentine, oil of turpentine, terebenthene, terebinthine and (colloquially) turps) is a fluid obtained by the distillation of resin harvested from living trees, mainly pines. Mainly used as a special ...
,
rosin Rosin (), also called colophony or Greek pitch ( la, links=no, pix graeca), is a solid form of resin obtained from pines and some other plants, mostly conifers, produced by heating fresh liquid resin to vaporize the volatile liquid terpene comp ...
,
tar Tar is a dark brown or black viscous liquid of hydrocarbons and free carbon, obtained from a wide variety of organic materials through destructive distillation. Tar can be produced from coal, wood, petroleum, or peat. "a dark brown or black bit ...
and pitch. Pitch was needed to coat the hulls of ships to protect them in tropical waters.
Camp meetings The camp meeting is a form of Protestant Christian religious service originating in England and Scotland as an evangelical event in association with the communion season. It was held for worship, preaching and communion on the American frontier ...
filled an ecclesiastical and spiritual need in the unchurched settlements. The Honey Camp meeting site (which became the Green Sea Baptist Church) was one of the first large camp meetings in the region at nearby
Green Sea, South Carolina Green Sea is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Horry County, South Carolina, United States, near the city of Loris. It was first listed as a CDP in the 2020 census with a population of 105. History The Green Sea po ...
. Population increased and settlement moved inland, which led to the founding of a congregation in the area just north of the state border. Around 1837, the congregation of Mt. Tabor Baptist Church erected their first building, constructed of logs.


1830s–1930s

The original community took its name from the first prominent church in the area, the Mount Tabor Baptist Church(now the Tabor City Baptist Church), which itself is named after the biblical
Mount Tabor Mount Tabor ( he, הר תבור) (Har Tavor) is located in Lower Galilee, Israel, at the eastern end of the Jezreel Valley, west of the Sea of Galilee. In the Hebrew Bible (Book of Joshua, Joshua, Book of Judges, Judges), Mount Tabor is the sit ...
, and was founded in 1838. A village coalesced around the area of the church which was organized as a town shortly after 1840. The town officially incorporated in 1904. The church was originally located near the intersection of what is now Stake Road and East 5th Street. Business activity started in Tabor City by the mid-1850s, with the development of a saw mill,
turpentine Turpentine (which is also called spirit of turpentine, oil of turpentine, terebenthene, terebinthine and (colloquially) turps) is a fluid obtained by the distillation of resin harvested from living trees, mainly pines. Mainly used as a special ...
still, grocery store and dry goods store. The
Atlantic Coast Line Railroad The Atlantic Coast Line Railroad was a United States Class I railroad formed in 1900, though predecessor railroads had used the ACL brand since 1871. In 1967 it merged with long-time rival Seaboard Air Line Railroad to form the Seaboard Coast L ...
located a station in the town in 1886. The turpentine industry was huge in the area throughout the 19th Century. Many wagonloads of turpentine, rosin and pitch were carried to the rail station in Grist, NC, for shipment to
Wilmington, North Carolina Wilmington is a port city in and the county seat of New Hanover County in coastal southeastern North Carolina, United States. With a population of 115,451 at the 2020 census, it is the eighth most populous city in the state. Wilmington is the ...
and other environs. The town was officially incorporated in 1905. In 1906, William Fowler donated land for the Tabor City Baptist Church, at the site which has been in continuous use since the completion of the construction and is still currently in use as of October 2014. The new church and sanctuary was completed in 1908. Mt. Tabor residents were greatly affected by the
American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...
. Many volunteered when the war began and many more were conscripted to fill the ranks as the war decimated the combatants. Men from the area were mainly in two different groups. At war's beginning, eager young men joined Capt. John B. Stanly's Co.(Columbus Guards # 4), 10th Regt NC Infantry (Volunteers), which became Co D, 20th North Carolina Infantry Regiment, NC State Troops, which participated in most of the major battles in the
Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
theater. At
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania Gettysburg (; non-locally ) is a borough and the county seat of Adams County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The Battle of Gettysburg (1863) and President Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address are named for this town. Gettysburg is home to th ...
, more than sixty-five percent of the regiment were casualties, either from wounds or death. Older men were later conscripted into Co. G, 51st NC Infantry Regiment, which performed garrison duty at forts in the
Charleston, South Carolina Charleston is the largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina, the county seat of Charleston County, and the principal city in the Charleston–North Charleston metropolitan area. The city lies just south of the geographical midpoint o ...
area and
Fort Fisher Fort Fisher was a Confederate fort during the American Civil War. It protected the vital trading routes of the port at Wilmington, North Carolina, from 1861 until its capture by the Union in 1865. The fort was located on one of Cape Fear River' ...
. It also saw limited action in several of the campaigns in eastern Virginia. Townsmen participated in most of the large battles of the Eastern Theater of the war, fighting in the Carolinas and
Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
. In 1865,
William T. Sherman William is a male given name of Germanic origin.Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 276. It became very popular in the English language after the Norman conquest of Engl ...
's army passed through the area, with outriders foraging for foodstuffs and supplies. The blue columns crossed the
Pee Dee River The Pee Dee River, also known as the Great Pee Dee River, is a river in the Carolinas of the United States. It originates in the Appalachian Mountains in North Carolina, where its upper course, above the mouth of the Uwharrie River The Uwharri ...
, the
Lumber River The Lumber River, sometimes referred to as the Lumbee River, is a river in south-central North Carolina in the flat Coastal Plain. European settlers first called the river Drowning Creek, which is the name of its headwater. The waterway known as ...
, and the
Cape Fear River The Cape Fear River is a long blackwater river in east central North Carolina. It flows into the Atlantic Ocean near Cape Fear, from which it takes its name. The river is formed at the confluence of the Haw River and the Deep River (North Carol ...
, with the cavalry scouting ahead. Mt. Tabor was not spared by Sherman's foragers. Dozens of men never returned home. Widow's weeds were a common sight in this area. Census records in 1870 and 1880 show many households run by widows in South Williams Township. Strawberries became an important crop in the 1880s when the development of the railroad enabled them to be shipped to markets in the big cities. The Anderson Shingle Company made shipping containers for strawberries. In 1910, Bishop Anderson sold out to W.B. Roberts and David James (Dave) Hughes, three years later Dave Hughes bought out Mr. Robert's interest and it became D.J. Hughes & Company “Manufacturers of Anderson Make Strawberry, Cantaloupe, Peach and Grape Crates, Boxes Made to Order, and Lumber," with a yearly output of 150,000 crates. Cotton fell out of favor when boll weevils negatively impacted crop production. Tobacco became the golden crop and the Border Belt produced prime flue-cured leaf for tobacco companies around the world. The first
tobacco Tobacco is the common name of several plants in the genus '' Nicotiana'' of the family Solanaceae, and the general term for any product prepared from the cured leaves of these plants. More than 70 species of tobacco are known, but the ...
warehouse was built in 1909, which became a major industry for both the town and the surrounding area. By 1925, the town had several tobacco auction warehouses, two tobacco re-drying warehouses, and a tobacco prizery(a packing plant where tobacco was packed into hogsheads for shipment to tobacco companies in Virginia), all within a block of the railroad tracks. The dominance of tobacco in the community continued until the 1990s. By 2022, only a few largescale farmers still grow tobacco in the area. The
First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
took men from the town and deposited them in the trenches of France where they helped the Allied Forces achieve victory against the
Central Powers The Central Powers, also known as the Central Empires,german: Mittelmächte; hu, Központi hatalmak; tr, İttifak Devletleri / ; bg, Централни сили, translit=Tsentralni sili was one of the two main coalitions that fought in ...
. Originally named 'Mt. Tabor', many would shorten the name to 'Tabor' when writing correspondence. With mail delivery by the
USPS The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or Postal Service, is an independent agency of the executive branch of the United States federal government responsible for providing postal service in the U. ...
, Tabor would be confused with
Tarboro, North Carolina Tarboro is a town located in Edgecombe County, North Carolina, United States. It is part of the Rocky Mount Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2020 census, the town had a population of 10,721. It is the county seat of Edgecombe County. The ...
due to the similarities in spelling. By 1935, US Postal authorities demanded a name change and since
Tarboro Tarboro is a town located in Edgecombe County, North Carolina, Edgecombe County, North Carolina, United States. It is part of the Rocky Mount, North Carolina, Rocky Mount Rocky Mount metropolitan area, Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2020 ...
was much larger, Mt Tabor was told to pick another name. The town denizens picked Tabor City as they expected phenomenal growth for the future of this tiny village. In May 1925, there were no paved streets, no fire department, nor a municipal water supply. Businesses included: a crate factory, several tobacco industries, a power plant, churches, train station, US Post Office, a hotel, a telephone exchange, many businesses, a prizery(tobacco packing house), agricultural, commercial, and industrial warehouses, a grist mill, a concert hall, and schools. Tobacco was the main industry. During the later 1920s, a boarding house opened, often the choice of traveling businessmen, tobacco buyers, and hunters. The owner of the business, would cook for her guests, leaving the pots on the stove for the boarders to serve themselves. A night's stay, including supper and breakfast was $2.00 per day. The business was operated by the family for three generations. The original buildings burned in 1971 and were rebuilt, operating with monthly rental units and a restaurant until 2018. It is now an event venue under new owners. By February 1934, the face of downtown was formed. A modern-day person would recognize many familiar buildings that appear on the Sanborn Fire Insurance Co. maps of the town for that year. There was a municipal-owned water source from a deep well. A 75,000 gal elevated water tank on a 75 ft steel tower rose above the town. There was one mile of 6" & 8" water lines, giving 45 lbs of domestic & fire water pressure. Businesses noted on those maps included: factories, commercial, and agricultural warehouses, churches, many commercial enterprises, schools, movie theatre, US Post Office, a town hall, a waterworks plant & water tower. Tobacco was the main industry.


1940s–1970s

The
Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
saw many young men of the town face combat in both the European and Pacific Theaters of war. The war economy brought prosperity to the town and saw an expansion of new businesses began by war veterans taking advantage of GI Bill loan provisions. During the 1940s and 1950s, the area had at least two movie theaters. There were also several drive-in movie businesses. Gas stations appeared at the town's major intersections. The first supermarkets also opened replacing the smaller general stores that had previously served the public. Several car dealerships came to the town. The first Yam Festival was organized and held in 1948. The '' Tabor City Tribune'' is a
weekly newspaper A weekly newspaper is a general-news or Current affairs (news format), current affairs publication that is issued once or twice a week in a wide variety broadsheet, magazine, and electronic publishing, digital formats. Similarly, a biweekly new ...
established by
W. Horace Carter Walter Horace Carter (January 20, 1921 – September 16, 2009) was an American newspaper publishing, publisher in Tabor City, North Carolina, whose paper won a 1953 Pulitzer Prize for his reporting on the activities of the Ku Klux Klan and his edit ...
(a Stanly County native) in 1946. In 1950, after witnessing a
Ku Klux Klan The Ku Klux Klan (), commonly shortened to the KKK or the Klan, is an American white supremacist, right-wing terrorist, and hate group whose primary targets are African Americans, Jews, Latinos, Asian Americans, Native Americans, and ...
motorcade going through town, Carter began writing a series of editorials and reports critical of Klan activity. The Klan began a recruiting campaign in 1950, and were later convicted of
flogging Flagellation (Latin , 'whip'), flogging or whipping is the act of beating the human body with special implements such as whips, rods, switches, the cat o' nine tails, the sjambok, the knout, etc. Typically, flogging has been imposed on ...
people and other offenses, based largely on Carter's work. Along with the '' Whiteville News Reporter'', the ''Tribune'' was awarded the 1953
Pulitzer Prize for Public Service The Pulitzer Prize for Public Service is one of the fourteen American Pulitzer Prizes annually awarded for journalism. It recognizes a distinguished example of meritorious public service by a newspaper or news site through the use of its journalis ...
for its
editorial An editorial, or leading article (UK) or leader (UK) is an article written by the senior editorial people or publisher of a newspaper, magazine, or any other written document, often unsigned. Australian and major United States newspapers, suc ...
s against the Ku Klux Klan. The Pulitzer Prize citation stated that the newspapers were awarded the prize "for their successful campaign against the Ku Klux Klan, waged on their own doorstep at the risk of economic loss and personal danger, culminating in the conviction of over one hundred Klansmen and an end to
terrorism Terrorism, in its broadest sense, is the use of criminal violence to provoke a state of terror or fear, mostly with the intention to achieve political or religious aims. The term is used in this regard primarily to refer to intentional violen ...
in their communities." The newspapers were the first weeklies to win a
Pulitzer Prize The Pulitzer Prize () is an award for achievements in newspaper, magazine, online journalism, literature, and musical composition within the United States. It was established in 1917 by provisions in the will of Joseph Pulitzer, who had made h ...
. The name of the ''Tabor City Tribune'' was changed to the ''Tabor-Loris Tribune'' in 1996. The small W. Horace Carter Newspaper Museum in Tabor City at the ''Tabor-Loris Tribune'' offices has exhibits on Carter's life and work. A documentary of the struggles between Carter and the Klan, titled ''The Editor and the Dragon: Horace Carter Fights the Klan'', was shown on the North Carolina Public Broadcasting System in 2013, on the 50th anniversary of the struggle. In addition, part of Carter's story was entered into the ''
Congressional Record The ''Congressional Record'' is the official record of the proceedings and debates of the United States Congress, published by the United States Government Publishing Office and issued when Congress is in session. The Congressional Record Inde ...
'' in 2007. Carter's death in 2009 was noted in ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
''. Even with the Tribune's crusade against racism and the Klan, now in 2022, there is a business covered with Confederate flags which sells Klan and other racist merchandise on the main road coming into town. Thus, the battle against racism is at a stalemate in light of Carter's crusade in the 1950s. The Tabor City Methodist Church began services in 1953. Due to crimes in the area in the late 1950s and 1960s, especially fights at local bars, Tabor City earned the nickname "Razor City". Even though many of the crimes occurred just across the border in South Carolina, the Razor/Tabor near-
rhyme A rhyme is a repetition of similar sounds (usually, the exact same phonemes) in the final stressed syllables and any following syllables of two or more words. Most often, this kind of perfect rhyming is consciously used for a musical or aesthetic ...
stuck. An economic downturn and severe recession, plus skyrocketing fuel costs, in the early/mid-1970s resulted in business closures and poverty becoming the norm for many families.


1980s–2010

By the eighties, tobacco use began declining. Along with global recession, the town and its people took another severe hit. More businesses closed and parts of downtown looked deserted as empty buildings fell into disrepair. Tens of millions in US government grants poured into the city beginning in the mid-1980s until present day.https://govsalaries.com/leonard-al-104406113 The decline in Tabor City was similar to neighboring towns of
Fair Bluff, North Carolina Fair Bluff is a town in Columbus County, North Carolina, United States that was devastated by coastal flooding from Hurricane Matthew in 2016 and inundated again by high water by Hurricane Florence in 2018. Before the two events, the populatio ...
, Broadman, North Carolina,
Brunswick, North Carolina Brunswick is a town in Columbus County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,119 at the 2010 census. Geography Brunswick is located at (34.292821, -78.706930). According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total ar ...
,
Cerro Gordo, North Carolina Cerro Gordo is a town in Columbus County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 207 at the 2010 census. History Cerro Gordo was incorporated in 1874, taking its name from the 1847 Battle of Cerro Gordo in Mexico. Geography Cerro Go ...
, and
Chadbourn, North Carolina Chadbourn is a town in Columbus County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,856 at the 2010 census. History A post office called Chadbourn has been in operation since 1882. It was incorporated in 1883, being named after a local fa ...
. A town manager was hired to handle administrative duties of the town, The year 1984, saw a group of townspeople come together to promote economic development in the town. An investment fund was accumulated through donations. Several projects were completed over the following decades. Most projects have seen the group acquire properties which end up receiving multimillion-dollar government grants. The dismissal of Police Chief Willie Gore in 1993 sparked a period of weekly protest marches since many felt the chief's dismissal was racist in nature. The marches were peaceful, though overreaction by the all white police force led to the mostly African American crowd being met with pepper spray on multiple occasions. In late 1997, a massive facelift was performed on two blocks of S. Main Street in the downtown area.
Southern Living ''Southern Living'' is a lifestyle magazine aimed at readers in the Southern United States featuring recipes, house plans, garden plans, and information about Southern culture and travel. It is published by Birmingham, Alabama–based Southern Prog ...
magazine made contact with town leaders about an article they were doing about Christmas celebrations in small southern towns. For many decades, the town traditionally held an annual daytime Christmas parade. Storefronts were painted, new retro lampposts installed, and other aesthetic improvements costing tens of thousands of dollars were made in order to have a nighttime Christmas parade. A photo of the parade and short write-up were included in an article in the December 1997 issue of
Southern Living ''Southern Living'' is a lifestyle magazine aimed at readers in the Southern United States featuring recipes, house plans, garden plans, and information about Southern culture and travel. It is published by Birmingham, Alabama–based Southern Prog ...
magazine. Today, the town focuses on agriculture, light manufacturing, retail and tourism. In addition, a large state prison provides many jobs for the area. Being so close to the coastal areas of
Myrtle Beach Myrtle Beach is a resort city on the east coast of the United States in Horry County, South Carolina. It is located in the center of a long and continuous stretch of beach known as "The Grand Strand" in the northeastern part of the state. Its ...
and the Brunswick County beaches has led to a growth in the area housing industry. The Centennial Clock celebrating the town's 100th anniversary was installed on Main Street. It was donated by a local business leader. The Freedom Flag Trilogy, which is located at the entrance to town on Hwy 701N, was first flown July 4, 2007.


2011–present

A local citizen donated the lot containing the ruined front brick wall of the former Ritz theater to the town. Millions in government grants resulted in a complete rebuild effort that was completed in 2014. The former theater is now the Ritz Center, a community center for the arts. The mayor of the town has a comedy act that is a frequent performer. The building sits empty for much of the year. In 2014, the
Chapel Hill, North Carolina Chapel Hill is a town in Orange, Durham and Chatham counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Its population was 61,960 in the 2020 census, making Chapel Hill the 17th-largest municipality in the state. Chapel Hill, Durham, and the state ca ...
band, Campfires and Constellations, memorialized the town in their song about drug smuggling, "Fast Burn to Tabor City". On October 25, 2018, it was announced the Todd House would close after 100 years of operation. Town welcome signs were amended in 2019 to recognize country music legend
Stonewall Jackson Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson (January 21, 1824 – May 10, 1863) was a Confederate general during the American Civil War, considered one of the best-known Confederate commanders, after Robert E. Lee. He played a prominent role in nearl ...
, a Tabor City native. In 2019, town leaders continued to develop a plan for a light rail link from the town to
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina Myrtle Beach is a resort city on the east coast of the United States in Horry County, South Carolina. It is located in the center of a long and continuous stretch of beach known as "The Grand Strand" in the northeastern part of the state. Its y ...
tourists via Conway. A matter to be addressed is how to get beach tourists to Conway in order to use the rail service. The Town Depot project, renamed the Community Center, is being built adjacent to the railroad tracks behind the town library. Community Center construction began in 2021 and is scheduled to be completed in April 2022.
Myrtle Beach Myrtle Beach is a resort city on the east coast of the United States in Horry County, South Carolina. It is located in the center of a long and continuous stretch of beach known as "The Grand Strand" in the northeastern part of the state. Its ...
city leaders are busy converting their railroad corridor to a 2.5 mile public trail for pedestrians and bikes


Climate

Tabor City has a
humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...
(
Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Bernd Köppen (born 1951), German pianist and composer * Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan * Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author and ...
''Cfa''), with the following characteristics: Winters are generally mild with January highs in the mid 50s °F (11–14 °C) and lows in the mid 30s °F (1–3 °C). Snowfall does not occur in most years, and when it does, is generally light. Spring is reasonably lengthy, beginning in late February and lasting to early May. The presence of abundant dense vegetation in the area causes significant pollen dusting in the springtime that tends to turn rooftops and cars yellow. Summer brings high humidity with temperatures usually in the upper 80s to lower 90s °F (31–34 °C).
Heat indices The heat index (HI) is an index that combines air temperature and relative humidity, in shaded areas, to posit a human-perceived equivalent temperature, as how hot it would feel if the humidity were some other value in the shade. The result is als ...
can easily break the mark, though the actual temperature does not in most years. Due to the proximity of warm Atlantic Ocean waters, the area may be hit by a
hurricane A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm system characterized by a low-pressure center, a closed low-level atmospheric circulation, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain and squalls. Depend ...
during the summer, at an average of once every seven years- although most are of a low level. About 40% of the annual rainfall is delivered from July to September. Autumn is also generally humid at the beginning, with the same tropical threats from hurricanes as in the summer. Some of the
deciduous trees In the fields of horticulture and Botany, the term ''deciduous'' () means "falling off at maturity" and "tending to fall off", in reference to trees and shrubs that seasonally shed leaves, usually in the autumn; to the shedding of petals, aft ...
may lose their leaves; however most trees in the area are
evergreen In botany, an evergreen is a plant which has foliage that remains green and functional through more than one growing season. This also pertains to plants that retain their foliage only in warm climates, and contrasts with deciduous plants, which ...
s and therefore remain green year-round.


Culture

The North Carolina Visitors Center in the middle of town, on business highway 701, assists tourist and locals with these and other activities. The visitor center underwent a series of improvements, funded partially by a $100,000
North Carolina Department of Transportation The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) is responsible for building, repairing, and operating highways, bridges, and other modes of transportation, including ferries in the U.S. state of North Carolina. History The North Carolina ...
allocation. As of 2022, the volume of visitors to the center is minuscule. The North Carolina Yam Festival takes place on the fourth Saturday in October. The festival celebrates with crafts, train rides, classic cars and trucks, arts and vendors. Also during the Yam festival, an annual art show is held, and a "Miss Yam Festival" pageant is held for various age groups. The annual parade is considered a highlight of the festival. Based somewhat on the success of the fall Yam Festival, an annual spring festival, the Spring Fling, began in 2013, celebrating the Town and people of the area. This week-long festival offers several activities. Lake Tabor is a one-star rated, 2 acre lake where boating events are often held. Lake Tabor went dry in 1998 after hurricane floods destroyed the retention dam. The dam was rebuilt and the lake restored. It was closed for a part of the 2013, and 2014 summer due to algae infestations. The Lake Tabor dam is still in danger during hurricane flooding events. The area boasts several restaurants and shops, and Tabor City has several parks and athletic fields as part of the Columbus County Parks and Recreation Department. A business in town offers access to batting cages. Hunting and fishing are popular activities, as well as the over 100 golf courses within of the town. A local campground has a small waterpark. A Fourth of July festival celebrating both past and current military personnel is held annually, with fireworks, food, and other activities. There is normally no charge for this event. An old train depot today serves as a small museum that operates primarily during the Yam Festival. A retired caboose is one of the displays available for exploration.


Demographics


2020 census

As of the
2020 United States census The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to of ...
, there were 3,781 people, 968 households, and 617 families residing in the town.


2010 census

As of the United States census of 2010, there were 2,511 people, 1,095 households, and 627 families residing in the town. The
population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...
was 852.2 people per square mile (329.5/km2). There were 1,239 housing units at an average density of 379.1 per square mile (146.6/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 59.2%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
, 36.2%
African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 1.1% Native American, 0.02%
Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 0.0%
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...
, 1.5% from
other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 1.8% from two or more races.
Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...
or
Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...
ethnicity were 2.3% of the population. Of the 1,095 households, 23% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 33.5% were married couples living together, 17.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.7% were non-families. 28.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 2.99. The town has shown marked growth in the last 14 years. In the town, the population was spread out, with .4.2% under the age of 18, 5.7% from 20 to 24, 21.3% from 25 to 44, 29.4% from 45 to 64, and 19.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. The median income for a household in the town was $25,469, and the median income for a family was $40,044. Males had a median income of $32,528 versus $20,804 for females. The
per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...
for the town was $17,922. About 16.9% of families and 21.60% of the population were below the
poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
, including 23.7% of those under age 18 and 22.5% of those age 65 or over.


Economic conditions

Since the 1970s, Tabor City has been beset by poverty and high unemployment, especially as the agricultural based economy of the past was no longer viable. Today, the town focuses on agriculture, light manufacturing, retail and tourism. A large state prison provides many jobs for the area. The town is served by two grocery stores, three drug stores, a number of restaurants, three banks and a credit union. Overall, the town has seen a steady decline in the commercial sector over the past 30 odd years. The downtown was thriving through the eighties, and since then it has seen vacant storefronts become more common, with dilapidated buildings throughout the downtown area. Poor city planning has industrial sites scattered throughout the small town with all residents impacted by heavy commercial and industrial traffic. This has significantly impacted residential property values throughout the town. The Tabor City Chamber of Commerce maintains a both a
Facebook Facebook is an online social media and social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. Founded in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with fellow Harvard College students and roommates Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dustin M ...
presence and its own website. The town has also upgraded its water, sewer and roads, in hopes of attracting new businesses but little has materialized. As of January 2022, the poverty rate is 47%, with a per capita income of $12,555(national per capita income is $29,829. In 2019, the town manager was paid $127,923 according to public records. This salary is 308 percent higher than average. The Tabor City Industrial Park is located just northwest of town, a 36-acre certified industrial site perfect for small to medium-sized users seeking 5 to 10 acres of land. Existing tenants include a small packaging warehouse and the Tabor City Business Development Center, while most of the property has sat vacant for most of the existence of the park. A packaging company, owner and publisher of the ''Tabor-Loris Tribune'', founded in 1946, continues to be a major employer for the area. It has sites throughout the town with almost every residential area being interspersed with industrial sites and associated traffic. Because they own the sole newspaper in the town, the negative impact of their operations is not reported. They also operate a large facility offshore in the Dominican Republic. R.J. Corman Railroad Group operates the rail line servicing the town.


Geography

The town lies within the Carolina Border Belt, a regional network of tobacco markets and warehouses along both sides of the
North Carolina-South Carolina border The Carolinas are the U.S. states of North Carolina and South Carolina, considered collectively. They are bordered by Virginia to the north, Tennessee to the west, and Georgia to the southwest. The Atlantic Ocean is to the east. Combining Nort ...
. Tabor City is approximately from the ocean at
North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina North Myrtle Beach is a city in Horry County, South Carolina, United States. It was created in 1968 from four existing municipalities, and is located about northeast of Myrtle Beach. It serves as one of the primary tourist destinations along t ...
and is due north of Myrtle Beach, SC. According to the
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, the town has a total area of , all land. It is located on the border with
South Carolina )''Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no) , anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind" , Former = Province of South Carolina , seat = Columbia , LargestCity = Charleston , LargestMetro = ...
, approximately inland from the
Atlantic The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe an ...
, north of
Myrtle Beach Myrtle Beach is a resort city on the east coast of the United States in Horry County, South Carolina. It is located in the center of a long and continuous stretch of beach known as "The Grand Strand" in the northeastern part of the state. Its ...
, and west of Wilmington. Lake Tabor, a lake, is on the eastern side of town. * * * U.S. Route 701 runs through the town in a generally north–south direction, while
North Carolina Highway 904 North Carolina Highway 904 (NC 904) is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The highway parallels the North Carolina-South Carolina border as it connects Fair Bluff, Tabor City, Sunset Beach, and Ocean Isle Bea ...
generally runs thorough the town in an east–west direction. The two highways intersect at the center of town. In addition, a business loop of US 701 serves also as the main business corridor in Tabor.
North Carolina Highway 410 North Carolina Highway 410 (NC 410) is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It serves as the central north–south highway in Columbus and Bladen Counties. Route description NC 410 is a predominantly ...
starts at the NC/SC state line before going through the town and continuing on to
Chadbourn, North Carolina Chadbourn is a town in Columbus County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,856 at the 2010 census. History A post office called Chadbourn has been in operation since 1882. It was incorporated in 1883, being named after a local fa ...
Nearest cities: *
Cerro Gordo, North Carolina Cerro Gordo is a town in Columbus County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 207 at the 2010 census. History Cerro Gordo was incorporated in 1874, taking its name from the 1847 Battle of Cerro Gordo in Mexico. Geography Cerro Go ...
(4.3 miles) *
Chadbourn, North Carolina Chadbourn is a town in Columbus County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,856 at the 2010 census. History A post office called Chadbourn has been in operation since 1882. It was incorporated in 1883, being named after a local fa ...
(14 miles) *
Loris, South Carolina Loris is a city in Horry County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 2,396 at the 2010 census, up from 2,079 in 2000. Geography Loris is in northern Horry County on the Atlantic coastal plain. U.S. Route 701 passes through the city, ...
(7 miles) *
Longs, South Carolina Longs is a small unincorporated community in Horry County, South Carolina, United States. It lies directly west and northwest of North Myrtle Beach, located at the intersection of S.C. 9 and S.C. 905. Longs consists of many new developments, p ...
(13.27 miles) *
Conway, South Carolina Conway is a city in Horry County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 24,849 at the 2020 census, up from 17,103 in 2010 census. It is the county seat of Horry County and is part of the Myrtle Beach metropolitan area. It is the home ...
(15.36 miles) *
Whiteville, North Carolina Whiteville is a city in Columbus County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 5,394 at the 2010 census. It is the largest city in Columbus County and is the county seat. History Columbus County was created in 1808. In 1810, a commun ...
(19.30 miles) *
Aynor, South Carolina Aynor is a small town in Horry County, South Carolina, United States, south of Galivants Ferry. The population was 560 at the 2010 census and estimated in 2018 to be 934. Aynor High School consistently ranks as one of the best schools in Horry ...
(16.5 miles) *
Nichols, South Carolina Nichols is a town in Marion County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 368 at the 2010 census. Geography Nichols is located at (34.232779, -79.148513). According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , ...
(18.4 miles) Nearest city with pop. 50,000+:
Wilmington, North Carolina Wilmington is a port city in and the county seat of New Hanover County in coastal southeastern North Carolina, United States. With a population of 115,451 at the 2020 census, it is the eighth most populous city in the state. Wilmington is the ...
(57.2 miles, pop. 126,000) Nearest city with pop. 200,000+:
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina Myrtle Beach is a resort city on the east coast of the United States in Horry County, South Carolina. It is located in the center of a long and continuous stretch of beach known as "The Grand Strand" in the northeastern part of the state. Its y ...
(43.2 miles, pop. 528,733)


Government

Tabor City has a town manager, assisted by the elected town mayor and town council. Past mayors have included: * W. A, Williams – 1953 * W. Horace Carter 1953–1955 * Howard Harrelson 1957–1969 * Robert Soles Sr * Marion Baxter * Nelson Lee * Royce Harper 2010 – Tabor City is in the 13th District for the North Carolina Senate, represented by Michael Walters as of September 2014, and in the 46th district for the North Carolina House of Representatives, where, as of September 2021, they are represented by Tabor City native and used car dealer
Brenden Jones Brenden Harding Jones (born May 31, 1974) is an American politician and entrepreneur from the state of North Carolina. He is a member of the North Carolina House of Representatives from the Republican Party, representing the 46th district. He ...
. Tabor City is in
United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the Lower house, lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States Senate, Senate being ...
' North Carolina 7th Congressional District, NC-7. The current Representative as of January 2022 is
David Rouzer David Cheston Rouzer (; born February 16, 1972) is an American politician who is the U.S. representative for North Carolina's 7th congressional district. Previously he was a Republican member of the North Carolina General Assembly, representing ...
. The city offers its own water and sewer treatment plant and is connected to the Grand Strand Water and Sewer Authority.


Police and fire

Tabor City has its own police department. As of January 2022, the police chief is Donald Dowless. Several officers have run afoul of the law. Since 2019, Tabor City Police Department has maintained community out reach through an official Police Department page on Facebook. A Tabor City Jail was in operation as of 1939. As of 2014, the police department takes any persons needing detaining to the Columbus County Detention Center in Whiteville, NC. In addition, the city is also served by the Columbus County Sheriff. As of April 2021, the sheriff is Jody Greene. The Tabor City Court house is located on 5th street, and hears district court cases on an as needed basis. Superior Court cases for the area are heard in the Whiteville Courthouse. The crime rate in Tabor City is higher than the national average. Property crimes being 150% higher than the national average. There were 19 registered sex offenders living in Tabor City, North Carolina as of January 21, 2022. The ratio of all residents to sex offenders in Tabor City is 217 to 1. The Tabor City Fire Department, led by Chief Jeff Fowler, serves the city and assists several volunteer departments within the county. Cooperation is often necessary with various South Carolina departments. New trucks were delivered in 1939, 1947 and 1955. There was no fire department in existence in 1925. In February 1934, the fire department consisted of a chief, 14 men, one fire station, a Ford Model A truck with a Barton Pumper(capacity 300 g.p.m.), 1000 ft 2-1/2" hose, 2-35 gal. chemical tanks, & 500 ft 2-1/2" hose. There were 3 fire alarm boxes and the town hall had an electric siren mounted on the roof. One of the largest North Carolina Prisons, the
Tabor City Correctional Institution The Tabor Correctional Institution, also known as Tabor City Prison, is a prison within the North Carolina Department of Public Safety located in Tabor City, North Carolina. It houses over 1700 mixed classification inmates. The prison opened in ...
is operated within the city limits. The construction of the Tabor City Correctional Institution (TCI) began in May 2006 and was completed in April 2008. TCI is located over two miles (3 km) northwest from the center of Tabor City, and its site was annexed by the town. The prison is not located continuously with the city. The cost to build the prison was approximately $94 million, The Tabor City Prison officially opened on August 18, 2008. Crime rates have risen due to the numerous prison guards that commit serious offenses, such as drug smuggling, hit-and-run, murder-for-hire, etc.


Media

In addition to the ''Tabor-Loris Tribune'', published weekly since 1946, the town is served by AM-1370 station WTAB. The feed is also available on line a
WTAB RADIO – 1370 AM
For a while, from 1965 to 1998, WYNA served as the sister station to WTAB and was located in Tabor City. In 1998, Pamplico Broadcasting bought the station, which played country music at that time, and increased its power from 3,000 to 25,000 Watts. After stunting with classical music in October and November 1998, and Christmas music in December, WYNA went off the air in preparation for a move that included changing its community of license to Calabash, North Carolina. WGHW has a translator in the area to widen its broadcast area. Television, radio and daily newspapers from Wilmington, Fayetteville,
Florence Florence ( ; it, Firenze ) is a city in Central Italy and the capital city of the Tuscany region. It is the most populated city in Tuscany, with 383,083 inhabitants in 2016, and over 1,520,000 in its metropolitan area.Bilancio demografico an ...
and
Myrtle Beach Myrtle Beach is a resort city on the east coast of the United States in Horry County, South Carolina. It is located in the center of a long and continuous stretch of beach known as "The Grand Strand" in the northeastern part of the state. Its ...
are easily accessible to the residents of the city. The ''
Myrtle Beach Sun News ''The Sun News'' is a daily newspaper published in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, in the United States. It serves the Grand Strand region of South Carolina with a daily circulation of 19,773 and a Sunday circulation of 26,798. It is owned by Cha ...
'', Wilmington ''
Star-News ''Star-News'' is an American, English language daily newspaper for Wilmington, North Carolina, and its surrounding area (known as the Lower Cape Fear). It is North Carolina's oldest newspaper in continuous publication. It was owned by Halifax Me ...
'', and the ''
Fayetteville Observer ''The Fayetteville Observer'' is an American English-language daily newspaper published in Fayetteville, North Carolina. As the oldest North Carolina newspaper, the paper was founded in 1816 as the ''Carolina Observer''. It was locally owned by ...
'' are available daily to the area. The '' Whiteville News Reporter'' is available twice a week as well. Most provide at least some measure of coverage for the town.


Schools

A circa 1870 one-room school house was restored by the historical societies of Tabor City and Columbus County. This school house was built in 1870 using a floor plan and building technique which had been in use since 1820. This building was purchased and donated to the town of Tabor City by a local benefactor. Tabor City is home to South Columbus High School. Tabor City High School was in operation from the 1920s until 1992. The former high school campus became Tabor City Elementary School. Tabor City Middle School houses grades 6 through 8 and is housed in the former all-black Douglass School facility. After desegregation ended, Douglass School became Tabor City West Elementary School. These schools are part of the Columbus County School System.


Tabor City Post Office

The Tabor City Post Office was in operation as early as the 1880s. In May 1925, it was located near the north corner of Railroad St. & 5th St. It is noted at this location on the 1925 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map. In February 1934, it was located on the north corner of Railroad St and 4th St. It is noted at this location on the 1934 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map. A new location was opened in 1942, and included delivery to some areas in South Carolina. A new route was established in 1947, which was the longest highway post office route in the U. S. with a 360-mile daily run. Growth necessitated a new building in 1964, still in use as of January 2022. The post office for Tabor city is located at 200 East 5th street. South Carolina delivery from the Tabor City Post Office was terminated in 1981, and transferred to the Loris, SC post Office.


Notable people

*
W. Horace Carter Walter Horace Carter (January 20, 1921 – September 16, 2009) was an American newspaper publishing, publisher in Tabor City, North Carolina, whose paper won a 1953 Pulitzer Prize for his reporting on the activities of the Ku Klux Klan and his edit ...
, newspaper editor, Pulitzer Prize winner * Joseph Chambers, noted Pentecostal author, pastor in Tabor City, 1957–1958 *
Stonewall Jackson Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson (January 21, 1824 – May 10, 1863) was a Confederate general during the American Civil War, considered one of the best-known Confederate commanders, after Robert E. Lee. He played a prominent role in nearl ...
, country music star * R. C. Soles, Jr., politician/lawyer, NC House 1968–1976, NC Senate 1977–2011, longest-serving North Carolina legislator *
Taffy Wright Taft Shedron "Taffy" Wright (August 10, 1911 – October 22, 1981) was a professional baseball player. He played nine seasons in Major League Baseball from 1938 to 1949, primarily as a right fielder. Early life Wright was born in Tabor City, N ...
, Major League Baseball Player, 1938–1949 *
Brenden Jones Brenden Harding Jones (born May 31, 1974) is an American politician and entrepreneur from the state of North Carolina. He is a member of the North Carolina House of Representatives from the Republican Party, representing the 46th district. He ...
, politician, NC House of Representatives 2016 to present


References


External links


TABOR CITY NC OFFICIAL WEBSITE


fro
Oral Histories of the American South



TABOR CITY NC OFFICIAL Corruption Website
{{authority control Towns in Columbus County, North Carolina Towns in North Carolina